Footwear



June 10, 1941. R, T, DAWES 2,245,466

' FOOTWEARy Filed March 15, 19:55 2 sheets-sheet `1 June 10, 1941. R, r DAWES 2,245,466

FOOTWEAR Filed March 134, 1935 2 Sheets--Sheei'I 2 Patented June l0, AB1941 2,245,466 FOOTWEAR.

Robert T. Dawes, Hudson, Mass.,v assigner to Thomas Taylor & Sons, Inc., Hudson, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 13, 1935, Serial No. 10,833

1 Claim. (Cl. 12-146) This invention pertains to footwear and to a method of making footwear, and relates more particularly to shoes or slippers of. the so-called open shank or sandal `type, wherein the front and rear portions of the upper are independent and completely separated -at the shank portion of the shoe. At the present time there is a substantial demand for Womens dress shoes and dance Aslippers of this type, and there is always more or less demand for open shank house slippers and similar articles of footwear. When, hereinafter, a shoe is referred to, it isI intended thereby to include shoes, slippers, pumps, sandals, or other similar article of footwear.

In accordance with previous practice, theheel or rear end portion of the upper of such a shoe or slipper is assembled with the other parts and lasted in substantially the same Way as the rear portion of uppers which are continuous from front to rear, but for shoes of the open shank or sandal type, this prior practice is unnecessarily complicated and expensive.

Customarily, the heel portion of a shoe upper includes a stili counter member, which in welt, stitch-down, cemented, and McKay shoes is usually moulded substantially to shape prior to lasting, and which inQ turned shoes is caused to become stii after lasting. This counter stiffener is depended upon in the completed shoe to hold the rear portion of the upper in proper shape.

In accordance with usual methods of shoe making, and in order that the quarter may be of such shape as to permit it to be lasted snugly about the curved heel of the last, the quarter is made of two separate pieces cut to proper contour and usually united by a seam extending vertically at the rear end of the shoe. To prevent gapping of this seam it is quite common to stitch a stay-piece over it. All of these operations are `expensive and add substantially to the cost of the shoe, and since the seam at this point abuts against the hard, unyielding counter, it is diiiicult to make the seam lie fiat and smooth, so that it tends to form a distinct Welt at the rear of the shoe even though a stay is not used. This detracts from the desired neat and pleasing appearance of the shoe at this point.

While the forward and shank portions of shoes diiier materially in shoes of different styles, the

rear ends' of shoes do not vary to so marked a degree, so that although anything like a standard contour for the forepart of a shoe upper would be out of the question, it is quite `possible and permissible at least to approach such a standard contour for the heel end of shoes.

, 'Iiaking advantage of this latter possibility, and with the objects of improving the appearance of shoes of the open shank type, and of facilitating their manufacture, while decreasing the cost, I

, have discovered, as the result of considerable experiment, that acceptable shoes of the open shank type may be made without resort to the lasting of the heel portions of individual shoes. Stated in other terms, I have found that the rear end portions of shoe uppers may readily be made, for example, from composite sheet material, including an appropriate stiiening element or medium, by blanking out from the sheet material a piece of proper dimensions and contour, moulding said piece (for examplefin a properly shaped die under pressure) substantially to the desired final form of the rear end of the completed shoe upper, and then merely assembling this moulded and shaped member with and securing it to the shoe bottom structure in proper position and by any appropriate attaching means. Thus no lasting of the rear end of the shoe is required, the operation of attaching the moulded shape-retaining rear portion of the upper being carried out without special machinery and by relatively unskilled labor and with great rapidity. Moreover, since the moulded rear end portion thus prepared need have no seam, stay or other blemishing factor1 the complete shoe is of finer and more desirable appearance than shoes Amade by usual methods In accordance with the present invention, the rear portion of the upper may comprise a lining, a stiffener medium or member, and an outer element-,the lining and outer element each being of any appropriate material, such for example as leather, cloth, artificial leather, paper, synthetic fabric (such as those made from cellu-I lose derivatives), lacquer, or phenol-condensation products. I contemplate that one or another of such constituent elements may be dispensed with by proper selection of the remaining element or elements. Further, While I here suggest the moulding of the sheet material in dies under pressure to form the rear member of the upper, I contemplate that such preshaped rear member may be made in other ways, all within the scope of the present invention.

Since in some of the more extreme styles of shoe the forepart of the upper comprises little 'more than a toe portion or a toe portion with one or more straps or other elements taking the place of the usual vamp, I contemplate, as Within the scope of the invention, the employment of a premOulded toe end portion, made of material andy in accordance with\substantially the same mode of procedure as the heel end portion of the upper, above `referred to.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have disclosed certain desirable embodiments of the invention by way of example,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe of the open shank type embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the shoe bf Fig. 1;

Fig, 3 is a plan View of 'a piece of composite fabric appropriate for use in making the rear end portion offa shoe upper, illustrating how portions of proper shape and contour may be cut therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, to small scale, illustrating .the approximate shape o such a piece of material preparatory to moulding;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the moulded rear member of a shoe upper made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan View of such moulded rear member;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of a shoe bottom having the 'forward part of the upper lasted in usual manner and having the rear part of the upper prepared and secured in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8-5 of Fig. 7:

Fig, 9 is a perspective view of a moulded rear portion of-a shoe upper, illustrating one desirable construction; Y

Fig. l is a fragmentary section substantially on the line llt-it of Fig. 9;

Fig, il is a perspective view of themoulded rear end portion of a shoe upper having its upper edgenished in a different way;

Fig. l2 is a fragmentary vertical sectionv through a piece of composite material of modi-V fied construction useful in making my improved shoe;

adapted to form the outer surfaceof the member in the completed shoe-a. layer 9 appropriate to form the lining of the rear lpart 5 in the completed shoe, and an interposed layer 8 of an appropriate stiffening material capable of satlsfactorily retaining a contour imparted by moulding Fig. 13 is a section substantially on the line I designates a shoe of the open shank type, hereshown as a dress shoe; having the sole member 2, a. high heel 3, and the forepart of the upper l. This shoe also comprises the rear part i of the upper, which is wholly separate from and independent of the forepartl I, and which, as here illustrated, may be provided (preferably after' moulding) with an appropriate strap i or other securing means.

In accordance with the present invention, the rear part 5 of the upper is made from sheet material S (Fig. 3) whose oppositelsides are of a. character appropriate to constitute the exposed inner and outer surfaces respectively of the portion of the shoe upper which it is intended to make As illustrated in Fig. 3, this sheet material is of composite or lamellar type, compris` ing a plurality of layers permanently united to form an integral structure. lamellar material preferably comprises af layer 'l This composite pressure, for example a layer of leather, liber board or the like; or alternatively a. layer of felt or similar material impregnated with a. suitable stiener such as a thermoplastic binder, shellac or the like; or a sheet of material which is normally stili' and hard but which by suitable treatment may be made mouldable, for example, Celluloid or other cellulose derivative; or this stiffening medium may under certain circumstances consist merely of a layer of an appropriate adhesive substance having stiffening characteristics uniting and/or impregnating the layers 1 and 9 and' imparting the desired stiness and shaperetaining character to the composite fabric, for example, such a material might be a solution or a dispersion of one of the cellulose derivatives, shellac, chromated glue or the like.

This sheet material is prepared in lengths and widths of any desired dimensions, and if desired may be furnished to the snoe manufacturer in this form. From this sheet material, sections i0 are blanked out by any desired method or apparatus, for example, these pieces may be cut by hand by the use of patterns. or may be died out by the use of suitable dies in a'dinking machine or the like-fthe pieces Ifeach being of proper size to form a completed rear portion of the shoe upper. As suggested, these pieces may be cut by the shoe manufacturer according to his needs, or these pieces may be cut to the manufacturers order, for example by a maker o'f shoe findings, and shipped to the shoe manufacturer either at, or moulded ready for use in a shoe. Preferably the lower or straight edge of the piece I0 is provided with a. series of indentations Il to facilitate the operation or moulding the attaching ange.

Prior to the moulding operation, the stiiiienerv layer or medium 8 is subjected to proper conditions to reduce it to a. mouldable or ductile con-l of ber board fabric impregnated with glue or paste; leather or the like. it may suilice merely to subject the piece to a moist atmosphere or to a tempering operation, such as is common in the manufacture of shoes, so as to reduce it to pliable condition. If Celluloid orsimilar material' form the stiffener medium or element, it may be necessaryto soak the piece I0 in a solvent for the Celluloid; and if a thermoplastic stifiener material be used, it may be necessary to soften it by the application of heat, either dryor moist in -accordance with circumstances.

Having prepared the piece I0 for moulding as above suggested, it is then placed in an appropriate die having the approximate shape of the completed rear portion 5 of the shoe upper which it is desired to make, and the part is subjected to pressure with or without heat as vis best adapted for the material employed, and by pressure within the die is Lreduced substantially tothe final form indicated at I2 in Fig. 6, for example. Preferably the lower edge of this moulded shape I2 is provided with an inturned attaching flange I3. This hange may extend continuously around the lower part ofthe moulded shape.' or may conf sist merely ofseparated tabs or the like, or may be replaced by any other suitable attaching element or elements. After moulding, the stiil'ener' 8 resumes its normally stiff condition, thus permanently retaining the final finished shape lmposed upon the sheet material during the moulding operation.

In making the shoe, the forward portion l of the upper may be lasted in accordance with any usual methods, so as to bring its lower margin I4 (Fig. 7) over against the lower surface cf the insole 2f, such margin being permanently secured in place by means of staples I5, cement, tacks or such other type of fastener as may be desired. The rear part of the upper having been premoulded, as above described, requires no subsequent lasting operation to bring it to the desired f final shape, but is merely assembled with the insole 2a. at any convenient stage in the shoe making operation) so that its flange I3 overlaps the bottom of the insole, and this flange, orvsuch equivalent attaching elements as may have been provided,is secured directly to the sole member by means of tacks I6, which, as illustrated in Fig. 8, are so driven as to be clenched against the usual steel plate P of the last L. This simple operation completes the assembly of the rear part 5 with the insole, and the outer sole may now be secured in place in any desired manner.

In the above description it has been assumed that the shoe comprises both inner and outer soles, but if the shoe be of `a type which does not have a distinct outer sole, it is obvious that the rear portion 5 may be secured directly to such sole member as may be used, with its flange I3 disposed either below the sole member or above it, as circumstances may require. If the flange I3 be disposed above the sole member, the attaching tacks will then be driven downwardly through the fiange and clenched at the under side of the sole member at the heel seat, or the fiange may be attached by stitching or other equivalent fastening means.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a slightly modified construction is shown, in which the moulded rear portion 5a is made from sheet material having but two distinct layers or component parts. Thus, as illustrated in Fig, 10, this moulded shape comprises tlie outer layer 'I which is of -appropriate material to form the outerexposed'surface of the rear part of the upper, and an inner layer 8 which may itself be the stili'ener layer but which is also of a material acceptable to form the lining of the rear part of the upper. For example, this layer may be fiber board having a smoothly finished inner surface, or it might be a layer of woven fabric impregnated with such a stiif'ening agent as a cellulose solution. As illustrated, this moulded shape has an attaching flange I3 at its lower edge, while its upper margin is skived at I9 to form a thin edge giving a somewhat more finished appearance to the rear part of the upper.

In Figs. 11 and 13 a further modification is illustratedy wherein the moulded rear portion 5b of the upper is provided with a. binding strip I1 secured in place by a sewed seam I8. This binding strip may be of any desired material suitable to give a proper finish to the edge of the upper; for example, this binder may be ribbon so arranged as to provide a French cord effect, or it may be a thin strip of patent leather, or in fact any material appropriate for the purpose. This binding strip covers the exposed edges of the constituent layers of the material of which the moulded shape is formed, giving a rounded and more finished appearance, as shown in Fig. 13.

In Fig. 12 another modification of the sheet material is illustrated, comprising the inner layer 9, which may be of woven fabric, leather, or the like, suitable to form the lining at this part of the shoea layer 8 of a stiffening substance which may be of any of the types above suggested, and an outer layer 'Ia appropriate to form the outer finished surface of the rear part of the upper, such outer layer Ia being of lacquer or other similar substance applied in the form of a fluid or plastic to the surface of the layer 8, and which is then permitted or caused to become hard, such layer being so applied as to form an element of the sheet materialbefore the part Ill is cut therefrom, or applied to the part III either before or after the latter is moulded.

I further contemplate that the rear part 5 may consist of a single integral unit of appropriate material, for example, one of the phenol-condensation products moulded to final finished shape and having its inner and outer surfaces appropriately finished to give the desired final eiiect in the shoe.

In shoes of the stitch-down type the lower margin of the upper is turned outwardly and directly united by stitches or the like to the marginal portion of the outer sole. To embody the present invention in shoes of this type, the rear end portion of the upper may be shaped as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 14. In this view the rear part I2a is made in accordance with any of the procedures above outlined; for example, it may comprise the lining ply 9a, the stiffener ply 8E, and the outer or surface ply 'le integrated and moulded to form a shape-retaining unit, as previously described. However. in this instance the ange I3aL is Vturned outwardly instead of inwardly. In making a stitch-down shoe, this ange I3a rests upon the upper surface of the margin of the outer sole 20 (Fig. 16) to which it is united by stitches 2|, staples, cement, or the like.

In the shoe illustrated in Fig. v16, the forepart 4a may, if desired, be moulded from material similar to and in a manner substantially corresponding to that employed in making the rear part, and the outwardly directed flange 4b may be united to the margin of the outer sole by stitches, staples, or the like in the same way as the rear part.

In a modified construction, illustrated in Fig. I5, the rear member I2*FJ of the upper, which comprises two or more plies, as previously described, is so moulded as to provide the outwardly turned attaching flange I3b consisting of the united marginal portions of the outer and stiffening plies but having the lower margin I3c of the inner or lining ply turned inwardly (forming in effect an inwardly directed fiange) which rests upon the upper surface of the sole to which it may be united, for example, by paste or cement, and over the inner marginal iiange I3c a heel pad may be cemented in usual manner to provide the desired finish at the inside of the shoe. On the other hand, an outwardly directed fiange I3b is per-v manently secured to the sole member by stitches or the like.

InFig. 1'7, which illustrates a cement-lasted shoe, the inwardly turned flange i3 of the rear part of the upper and the inwardly turned margin |41" of the forward part of the upper are shown as overlapping the under surface of the insole 2b to which they are secured by means of cement or other adhesive.

Various other-modifications and equivalent arrangementof parts, as well as the substitution of other materials, will doubtless occur to those skilled in the art and are regarded as coming within the purview of the invention as expressed in the appended claim. l

I claim:

That method of maiking, as an article of manufacture, a unitary completed multi-ply shoe quarter ready for assembly as a unit with a sole member of a shoe [and to form. a nished part of the shoe upper without recourse to lasting, said method comprising as steps providing lamellar sheet material including plies, two of which are appropriate to constitute the exposed inner and outer surfaces, respectively, of said quarter, and one of which is normally of a shape-retaining nature capable of permanently retaining a contour imparted thereto by moulding pressure, cutting from said sheet material a blank of predetermined appropriate contour, whose constituent plies are of the same size and shape, causing said blank to become mouldably plastic, moulding said blank under pressure to form a quarter having side walls and anend wall, the side walls merging integrally and smoothly with the end wall, the moulding operation also forming an attaching flange joined integrally to the lower edges of the side and end walls and also imparting to the side and end walls substantially the exact curved contour, in vertical planes atleast of the quarter of a fully completed shoe, causing the material of the moulded end portion lto become stii and permanently retentive of the moulded shape imparted thereto, and at any suitable stage in the process nishing the other edges of the rear and side walls so as to make such edges acceptable for exposure in a completed shoe.

ROBERT T. DAWES. 

